4/5 decent dvd; came on time, and plays fine.
  by Michael Hurd
the dvd had more scratches than i would have liked, but played fine on the dvd player.

5/5 must add to DVD collection
  by Genesis (San Francisco, CA)
I had seen this movie on TV and loved it and wanted to add this DVD to my collection. The movie introduced me to a culture and country I knew very little about. The acting is superb. A wonderful change from some of the crap we see in movies these days.

4/5 The Whale Rider reveiw
  by Thomas H. Starks
The whale rider is a movie possibly placed in New Zealand based on the language accent I heard in the movie and by seeing the kitchen tapestry with New on it. The plot has to do with a Patriach/Chief of the village towns people wanting desperately to follow in the sacred spiritual ways of the spiritual ancestors and fulfill his duty of passing the history of the people and the responsibility of leading the people to an heir preferably a male. He is set in his ways and tradition and doing so with such a tunnel vision perspective that in his attempts to fulfill this leadership void he fails to see the special gifts and destiny of his grandaughter a true bloodline decendant of Paikea.
The chief's name is Koro and he has pushed his eldest son so hard in trying to get him to accept this role and responsibility to the point of running his son away from the village and the people. The son's wife died in childbirth while delivering fraternal twins where the male child died with the mother but the female lived. The female child was named Paikea nicknamed Pai. This is where Koro believes the trouble starts. Koro loves his granddaughter however, with many of the world's customs unfortunately the men tend to make the women take back seats to the males and this is very unfortunate. Koro rejects the idea of his grandaughter being the next spiritual leader even though she is of the bloodline of their ancestors and well God Paikea. Tradition says that Koro has to pick a male. Koro attempts to school several young boys in the ways of the ancestors and they failed so Koro has failed. All the while Paikea is trying to tell Koro, in her actions, she believes she is the next chief. She even retrieves the chiefs well tooth that he throws in the ocean for the boy trainees to retrieve to show themselves brave, strong and approved by the ancestors. Pai actually retrieves it and summons the ancestral whale Gods for help. They listened and came to her aid even after Koro, in a state of failure and distress, failed to do so.
A pod of whales supposedly beached themselves but they were actually an opportunity for Koro to see that Pai had spiritual power and connection to get the entire herd back into the sea. Koro saw Pai riding the whale and then he believed. This movie also showed the breakdown of predjudiceness, tradition, and familiarity with love, determination, diligence and destiny. Pie helped to heal her people and her father returned home. This movie relates to world religion by showing how tribes and cultures have continued ancient ways and beliefs in connecting with those whom have passed on. They have given them power and spiritual significance by labeling them supreme beings. This significance and power have also transcended to the peoples every day lives. World religions have taught people that the ancestors are in control of their everyday lives and futures and that the ancestors should be respected and consulted for directions. In the Whale rider the supreme being was Paikea ironically the same name of the girl descendant and main character of the movie. Pai, even though at the end of the movie proclaims that she is not a prophet (probably at the behest of Koro), does in a way assume the role of a Shaman. Not that of a medicine woman but that of a healer because Pai healed her people.


3/5 Traditions and Family...
  by Fallon Webb Holt
For my assignment I decided to watch The Whale Rider. After reading a brief synopsis on the movie I figured it sounded interesting enough, and decided to watch it. The movie is set in an old Maori Village in New Zealand. The Maori tribe believed that their ancestors arrived on a whale. The whale is seen by the Maori tribe as sacred and wise. They pray to them and look to them for guidance. One of the leading characters is a little girl who lives with her grandparents. Pai's twin brother and mother died at birth, so only Pai was left. This deeply disturbed her grandfather who was distraught because her brother was to become chief one day and be the new leader of the tribe. It was as if he blamed Pai for the death of her brother. Pai's father left and went to travel the world, leaving Pai behind with her grandparents. Although the years following Pai's birth, her and her grandfather developed a relationship, she always knew her grandfather still resented her for her brother's death. Pai's father returns for a visit and to the families surprise has a begun a relationship with another woman who is now carrying his child. He and his father get in a fight over bringing them to New Zealand. He insists they will stay in Germany where the mother is from, and to make his father even madder, he tells him they will probably be having a girl. He tells him to take the girl with him (meaning Pai) so he decides Pai is to go with him. Pai reluctantly goes, but does not get very far before she makes her dad turn around and take her back. Meanwhile, her grandfather has decided the tribe has been cursed since the arrival of Pai, and decided he is going to get all of the first born sons of the tribe together, so he can train them, and choose one to be a leader. When Pai returns, hoping her grandfather will be happy she is back, she discovers he is not too happy to see her. Her grandfather starts teaching and training the young boys to see who will be the next leader. Pai stays close, always watching and trying to learn, hoping to get her grandfather's approval. She gets her uncle to train her, but soon is discovered when her and one of the little boys are caught by her grandfather sparring. He of course is none too happy and scolds both of them. He takes the group of boys out in the ocean (all but the one he scolded) and throws his whale tooth necklace in the water and tells them whoever can bring it back will be the new leader. None of them succeed and the grandfather is crushed. He is deeply depressed and disappointed, and having Pai around seems to make things worse, so her grandmother decides she should go stay with her uncle for a little while. Pai decided to pray to the gods for help, and little does she know they will answer in a big way. While out in the boat one day with her uncle, she decides she is going to get her grandfather's necklace back, and she does. Her uncle gives it to his mother, who decided it is not the right time to give it to him. Pai has a concert at school that she hopes her grandfather will attend because she has named him her hero, on his way there he looks out on to the beach and sees that there are a lot of whales that have beached themselves on the sand. All of the tribe tries to get them back into the ocean, but only fail. Pai tries to help, but her grandfather tells her this is her fault and tells her to go away. As the tribe is walking away to take a break, Pai gets on one of the whales and begins to ride it back in the water. People soon realize the whale is gone, but her grandmother also realized Pai is gone, knowing how much she wants her grandfather's approval, she knows Pai is with the whale. She gives him the whale tooth necklace and he realizes it is Pai that is the chosen one. Next thing you know they are at the hospital waiting for Pai to wake up. While sitting at her bedside, he prays to her, calling her his leader. At the end of the movie the tribe rides off in a boat that was finally finished (they had stopped building it when Pai was born, because the new leader was to lead the ship). Sitting with her grandfather, Pai leads the tribe out to sea.
One of the key concepts of religion is tradition. All religions revolve around traditions. One of the main themes of this movie was tradition, in the Maori tribe the first born son is to take over as leader of the tribe; this was a tradition that had been passed on from ancestors from many years ago. Along with tradition, there are rules and guidelines that the religions' followers are to adhere to. These rules and guidelines are passed down from ancient ancestors. The whole movie revolved around this theme. No matter what the religion, there are main themes and concepts. Most religions are started by a group that has similar ideals and beliefs; the Maori tribe was no different. The movie was based on a set of ideals that their ancestors had chosen many years ago, which is a major component in any religion, because of these traditions, ideals, and rules, this movie very much relates to World Religions.


4/5 Pai, Maori's whale rider
  by Christopher Mustian

Whale Rider involves a young girl, Pai that survived the birth after the passing of her twin brother and mother. Due to being a girl, she is disowned by her grandfather for not being able to obtain the ritual inheritance of the Maori tribe, descendants of the legendary Paikea, who arrived from Hawaaki `riding on a whale'. In desperation for acceptance she sneaks around her grandfather's all male initiation camp to learn the ways of becoming a wise leader. Through her grandfather's failure as "wise leader" to pass on his inheritance to any one boy in the camp, the sacred symbol "whale tooth" is lost for what he deems forever. Now it's up to the whales to decide who will be the chosen leader.

Out of desperation to be accepted by her grandfather and following descendants, Pai so skillfully calls on the whales in asking for acceptance. A large herd of whales answers by fleeing to the shores of this coastal, fishing community. The whole Maori tribe flees to save these symbolic creatures. The grandfather, still not understanding "who's to blame" seeks to remove them from the mainline shore. When all attempts fail by the whole community, Pai finally realizes that her time has come. Through faith of her eternal calling she is given the opportunity to save the whales and the heritage of the Maori tribe; thus turning her grandfather's disregard into acceptance. A very informative film on the customs and rituals many even today still strive to overcome.

In relation to our world religions, it shows the comparison of how male dominance is still such as issue for many beliefs yet how far we've come even in today's society. Norms of marrying within your `tribe or race' is dominant even today as this movie will show. All people of different faiths are striving to become accepted in some form or another. With time and dedication this movie will show the important relations in applying what one can learn to everyday world religions.